He wouldn't eat.

Lynoss was worried. The female had been gone for two full days and the male had only eaten a few bites since. He snapped and snarled at Lynoss, and it seemed that the docile human he had been was gone. The male would somehow create a black-colored smoke, sometimes, but Lynoss didn't know what that was. But he would barely eat. Lynoss had given him nuts and berries and dried fruit, but he refused it, nearly all of it. The male would starve himself, at this rate.

Lynoss was very, very worried.

---

Numair glared tiredly at the rat. The huge pet shopkeeper gave him a sad look in return, and offered him a nut. He did the only thing that this rat- faced creature could understand; he growled. The rat sighed and left the nut by his side. Numair pushed it away. He wasn't hungry.

Before Daine had been sold, things had been – relatively – bearable. When he was in that place between wakefulness and sleep, those days, and had her curled safe in his arms, he would even go as far as to say he was content. During the regular hours, yes, they had been bored out of their minds, but they could at least talk to each other, joke about the rat-thing that held them captive, and try to figure out a way to go home.

Now he had no one to talk to, no one to joke with. And he would never forgive himself if he left Daine here. He sighed, got up, and headed towards the wheel, where he still slept. He curled in a small ball and closed his eyes, hoping for sleep.

He was too tired to try any spells. That's because you've hardly eaten, his mind whispered.

He sighed, and drifted off into a lonely sleep.

---

Narsa had set up the cage, two days ago, on the shelf in her loft bed. The human was with her, high above the ground, safe from Culpus. He knew what was good for him; he wouldn't come up here.

But she was worried. The female hardly ate. She would glare at Narsa during the day, refuse to be picked up. The female was much different that she had been in the store. Narsa supposed that it was the separation. She sighed when she realized this, one day after she had bought her pet, and gazed at the human. "I'll call you Solsha, because the route-word is 'Solus,' which is alone, in the old language," Narsa whispered.

Oddly enough, the female seemed to understand. She looked at Narsa, heaved something that looked remarkably like a sigh, and then tried to curl up in the wheel, and failed with a yelp, because, unlike the one in the pet store, it was a wire wheel, and probably rather uncomfortable. Narsa smiled gently, and offered her hand. Her pet just glared and started to make herself a nest in the farthest corner. Hurt, Narsa lay back in her bed, and watched. The female had paused for a moment, and let out what sounded like a choked up sob before continuing to create a bed for herself.

Now, two days later, the female did nothing but pace. Back and forth, like the caged animal that she was. Narsa sighed, and offered her hand again. The female paused, glared, then continued with her route. Back and forth. Back and forth.

"You miss him, don't you?" Narsa sighed.

The human froze.

---

Loud and clear, in her head just like any other animal, came the words "You miss him, don't you?" Daine stared, in shock. She heard it! Out of habit, she turned for Numair, but he was not there. With a heavy heart, she turned back to the creature and said the way she spoke to the animals back at home: Yes, I miss him very much, but I also hate being caged. With him around, I could speak to someone, take my mind off of it. But now I'm alone. Why couldn't I speak to you before? She looked hopefully at the creature.

The creature blinked, and started chattering, out loud. Daine could not understand a word of it. I can't understand you! she shouted, but it was in vain. The connection was ebbing. Wait! Come back...

---

Narsa gaped, as Solsha spoke in her mind. She was sure it was Solsha. Who else could it be?

"You can talk? " she cried, "You can talk! Now I can convince Mother to get your mate! You can talk! Say something else!"

She listened with all her might, but there was only a faint, frantic word of 'Waaaaaaaiiiiiiit' that faded slowly, till it died. Confused, Narsa looked back at the creature. "Wait for what?" she asked.

No answer.

Narsa frowned. She could see Solsha trying to re-make whatever connection that they had, but she couldn't feel it.

Feel it? That's it!

Narsa tried to reach the creature through her mind. Then she heard the softly echoing words, C'mon, c'mon, please work! Can you hear me? Narsa grinned triumphantly, and spoke out loud, trying to make Solsha understand.

"Yes!" she whisper-cried, and Solsha bared her teeth: a grin.

Excellent! You can seriously understand me?

"I wouldn't've said yes if I didn't mean it."

Good point.

"How is it that I can understand you?" Narsa's head was starting to ache.

The answer was spoken quickly: I have Wild Magic. I can talk to any vertebrates—that is, creatures with a backbone. My question is, why couldn't I talk to you sooner? Why couldn't I talk to the shopkeeper?

Narsa frowned, thinking. "I don't know," she said, "Perhaps this 'magic' of yours doesn't work like you think it does."

Yes, I know that. I've had a few nasty surprises. There was a smile in her voice.

"May I pick you up?" Narsa asked, shyly.

I suppose. We need to talk about this more, though. What's your name? We ought to know each other's names. Mine's Daine.

"N-Narsa," Narsa said, taken aback. "Da-ain. Ain. D..." she tried to say Daine's name, but she could only come out with fractions of it. "I'm sorry! I can't pronounce it!"

That's all right, Daine said, smiling, and climbing on Narsa's hand. You can just call me Ain, I suppose.

Daine herself was trying, and failing, to pronounce Narsa's name. The 'N' was more like an 'M,' somehow, and the first 'A' was a mixture between an 'A' and an 'O.' The last 'A' was more like an 'E.' "Mn...ao...rs...ae," Daine said, blinking, knowing that wasn't right. Narsa collapsed into giggles, and lifted her pet before her face.

"That's all right. You can call me Rsae," She giggled.

Daine laughed. I'll stick to Narsa, she said, I know what it's supposed to sound like, I just can't do it. I can pronounce it in my head, though.

Narsa grinned. "All right. Well... about your magic."

Right, we should get back to that. Daine sighed.

"What's wrong?"

Numair knows more about magic than I do. He's studied it, she said, please, if you could, could you find a way to...?

"I wanted to buy him," Narsa said fiercely, "but Mother said no. It was cruel to separate you, but I know what's good for me, and Mother can be downright nasty if you disobey her. I'm sorry, Ain."

Daine sighed, but nodded. I understand. I just miss him, that's all.

Narsa thought for a moment. It was hard to think; she was getting a headache from all of this mind-to-mind stuff. "Listen," she said, "can we stop this...this...just talking, for a bit? I'm getting a headache."

Oh! Of course, I'm sorry. Daine smiled. I used to get headaches, too. You'll get used to it.

Narsa smiled. "Thanks. But I'll talk to you later, though. Tonight. We'll go out, when it's dark, and buy Mn-umn-aur before Mother can stop me."

Daine's eyes got wide, and, although Narsa had severed the connection, she managed to convey her thanks by hugging her thumb. Narsa smiled, and petted the fur on Daine's head, nursing her headache.